Over the objections of the city's police chief, the Menlo Park City Council narrowly passed a new law Tuesday night regulating police use of data collected by surveillance cameras and license plate readers.

The three council members who voted for the ordinance -- Ray Mueller, Kirsten Keith and Rich Cline -- cited a desire to protect the privacy of residents and keep the data from being misused. Among other provisions, the law limits the retention of license plate data, which includes the time and location of a vehicle's whereabouts, to six months unless otherwise required for an active criminal case or by court order.

Data from license plate readers is uploaded to an offsite server managed by the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security. The center and other agencies usually retain the data for up to one year.

Chief Robert Jonsen told the council that he felt the ordinance signaled a lack of "trust" in the police department. Existing state and federal laws governing the data are sufficient, he said.

"I personally do not feel an ordinance is necessary for this department," Jonsen said. "It's a matter of trust."

Mueller said the council demonstrated its confidence in Jonsen and the police department by approving the purchase of the powerful surveillance tools. The council was only trying to balance public safety concerns with privacy rights, the mayor said.

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"We've been aggressive when it comes to using technology," Mueller said. "If we didn't trust you, we wouldn't give them to you. It's about having a prudent check on power for those who abuse that trust. Those who may be tempted to abuse it won't. In every organization, you get that one bad apple. And the Menlo Park police department is not an exception."

Before casting her opposing vote, Vice Mayor Catherine Carlton said she didn't see a point in keeping the data for less time than other agencies and limiting the police department's "ability to catch criminals."

"I don't understand why Menlo Park should be less safe than other cities in California," she said.

Councilman Peter Ohtaki said he was also in favor of the retention standards used by the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center.

Cline said the council could always change the ordinance if it proves too "onerous" to implement.

The law also says the data cannot be used to "harass, intimidate or discriminate against any individual or group" or be used to look into areas "where the reasonable expectation of privacy exists."

Last year, the council gave the police department permission to purchase four surveillance cameras and three license plate readers. The cameras are installed and in use in the Belle Haven neighborhood. The license plate readers are installed on top of three police vehicles and will be used citywide.

Officers also began wearing video cameras on their uniforms in 2013, but the ordinance approved Tuesday does not apply to them. Jonsen told city officials that recordings from the cameras are downloaded at the police department and retained for at least 2½ years.

The law will take effect 30 days after a second reading at the council's next meeting.